A Rekindled Love, A Burning Hate
by thechosenMay
Summary: Cedric and Christine meet years later after they completely forget about each other,when they are both leading seperate lives.Will they be able to give each other another chance especially when they each already have someone else?AllAboutLoveAndHateSequel
1. A New Beginning

First of all, I would like to thank ALL the flamers who ever so willingly attempted to sound nice by hiding and concealing their flames as, what was it again? Erm, CONCRIT! Rrriiiighttt… (: WELL! If you have any queries or any flames you wanna post as a review, er, well, just go ahead (:

And erm, that word… ahh yes. CONCRIT! Is very much welcome (:

OKAY SO HERE IT GOES. THE VERY MUCH AWAITED FIC(yeah right), SEQUEL TO ALL ABOUT LOVE AND HATE. Btw, bubblegumm is editing and other crap stuff. **And please, read the prequel (is it used like that?) to this fic, _ALL ABOUT LOVE AND HATE,_ before reading this one or you will find it very hard to catch up. thank you :D**

**A REKINDLED LOVE, A BURNING HATE**

_Chapter 1:_

Christine Lin. Working at Beaufort's Little Wizards and Witches Montessori. She was the same tall, strong minded woman who graduated from Hogwarts Acedemy for Witchcraft and Wizardry. Her father found her working at a pre-school/kindergarten "An entire waste of Magical Talent!" You see, like many other wizards or witches working for the ministry, he wanted his child to work for the ministry too.

Cedric Diggory on the other hand was everything he was when he left Hogwarts. The perfect guy. Tall, handsome, smart, kind, gentlemanly, loving, kind, warm, charming, oh don't get me started on his demeanour. Everything was complete except for that empty space in his heart, that space every single girl at the ministry vies for…

They once dated when they were back in school. Too bad things didn't turn out the way they were supposed to. They each made no effort to contact each other throughout the four years apart, each making efforts to forget the other party...

The only time they EVER met after he graduated was when Christine was 17. They didn't even know or realize they met each other. Well, here is how it went:

During the holidays right after her NEWTS, Christine went to the Montessori to get a headstart on her work experience.

"Christine," her matronly aunt said, "Some ministry officials from the Department of Education are coming over to check on the Montessori, so _do _make sure everything is presentable,"she said, smiling at Christine.

Hours later...

"They're here they're here!" her aunt said excitedly as she bustled around the table to greet them at the entrance gate.

"Oh gooody..." Hannah (Christine's cousin who worked there too as a teacher) remarked.

Hannah went out to greet them along with her mother.

"Christine...! Oh Christine...!" her aunt sang, bidding her to come out of the staffroom.

"Hang on a moment !" she sung back as she scribbled the last of words on a parchment.

Christine came stumbling out on her dark coloured robes. A very bad start to a supposedly good visit.

"...and this is my niece who works here too as a teacher, Christine,"

"Hello, nice to meet you," she said, extending her hand to the wise looking old man.

"Yes, you too,"

"And oh dear... where is the other one now," her aunt said distractedly.

"Oi!" hehalf-shoutedhoarsely to the large hole in the ceiling, "What's his name again... Oh I keep forgetting..."

Christine was bewildered at who the old man was talking to.

Her doubts were then cleared when she saw a young man jumping down from the hole in the ceiling...

"Sorry Mr Hearsby," he said, "There is a nest of Doxies in the ceiling, someone has got to clear them up,"

Christine felt an overwhelming sense of familiarity over her. Where she had seen this man before, she could not put her finger on it...

He also looked at her with the same expression on his face...

"Do I... Do I know you?"she asked uncertainly.

"Boy, this is no time for chatting. Come with me so we can inspect this Montessori together. You need more experience than " the old man said, taking Cedric by the arm and walking him away with Christine's aunt leading the way...

**BOARDER.BOARDER.BOARDER.**

_Three years later when Christine was 20 and Cedric 22..._

"Hurry up Christine!" Hannah, Christine's cousin, who also worked at the Montessori, said.

"Oh come on, it's Christmas, give me a break Hanny," Christine said, massaging her neck.

"That's the whole point of it. It's Christmas. So just dump your paper work here till the holidays are over," she said.

Christine gave a very big and fake gasp, "Oh NO! Your mom will kill me," she said, referring to Hannah's mother, aka, her aunt, who ran the Montessori, "Besides, this should have been filed AGES ago,"

"Yeah well, just leave it there,"

"Oh fine," Christine said, getting up.

They started to pull on their winter wear. Large jackets, beanies, layers of sweaters and parkers.

"How are you celebrating your Christmas?" Hannah asked as she draped a scarf over her neck.

"Hmm, as usual. My dad is getting a colleague over. Name's Amos. Sounds terribly familiar. Oh yes, Amos and his son are coming over and stuff for the Christmas dinner. Wife's away at her sister's or something, recuperating from some dragon pox thing,"

"Ouch."

"You?"

"Oh the usual… Mom's cooking up a Turkey, getting Grandma over for the usual dinner and stuff. My nieces and nephews are coming though," she said rather excitedly.

"Well _I'm _cooking up baby carrots," Christine said, grinning.

"What!" Hannah gasped, "You _never _cook!"

"That's the whole point, isn't it? To demonstrate my hidden cooking wonders,"

"Yeah, and cause everybody around the table to die," Hannah joked as Christine slapped her hard on the back.

"Anyway, my dad wants me to be on my best-"

"Behavior?" Hannah mused.

"No you idiot, my dad says this guy may be my boss next time IF I decide to work for the ministry,"

"That's in about a few months yes?"

"Don't know…"

"Come on, we still have to lock up and stuff," Hannah said, grabbing a bunch of enchanted keys.

"Rightt, which takes about what, five seconds?" Christine said as she tapped the keys which sprung to life, locking up every classroom and entrance door, except for the one they will be walking out though.

"I love winter," Christine said, breathing the cold, crisp, wintry air.

"What, the early nights and the horrible cold weather?" Hannah said, "No! Look at the sky. Its only five and its so dark. The cold weather is so…"

"Cold…? Well, that's the whole point, isn't it?"

"Yes, well, I like summer,"

"Summer is too hot,"

"Yeah well, if we don't go now, we will miss Christmas dinner," Hannah retorted.

"Right… Well, see you after Christmas!"

"See you!"

They both apparated back to their houses after walking a certain distance distance in the wood. They always did that everyday after work. To them, the smell of the lush trees were heavenly.

**BOARDER.BOARDER.BOARDER.**

It was seven in the evening. Christine had her baby carrots already cooking in her specially made (but unsafe) gravy in a pot. She was upstairs changing when the doorbell rang. It rang again. And again. No one answered.

"CHRISTINE LIN!GET YOUR BUTT DOWN HERE NOW!" her father shouted from below.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT? I COOKED THE CARROTS OKAY?"

"OPEN THE DOOR NOW!" her dad shouted.

"I CANT I'M IN THE _TOILET_!"

Muttering under her breath, (still wearingthe flowery apron) she went to open the door.

"Christine this… Christine that…" She muttered as she half ran down the stairs trying the fasten her earrings, "Damn this stupid house for being so big. Sorry grandpa." she muttered as she ran past a portrait of her granddad who once, owned this house.

"Coming...!" she sang.

She put on her biggest, half most fakest(i know this isnt grammatically right. i just wanted more emphasis)smile as she half-ran down the stairs, still trying to adjust her earring right.

"Mr Amos!" she said loudly, grinning a bit too ridiculously away, "Merry Christmas," she said, still walking down the stairs as fast she could still trying to fasten her earring clasp with one hand, the other one outstreched.

"It's Mr Diggory sweetheart," her dad muttered.

"Wh-?"

"You must be the Christine I heard so much about at work!" He said, very enthusiastically shaking her hand,"Merry Christmas child! Merry Christmas. Ahh, I suppose you know my son, Cedric? I do remember, you used to be in the same school as he did..."

Cedric Diggory, the boy she had taken so much effort to forget, took a step from behind his father, greeting her with the same, familiar grey eyes that once held her heart…

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okay... i hope this is a good start to this sequel... the next chapter will be a really, really alarming one. just to warn you guys... 


	2. Do You Love Me?

_Chapter 2:_

She was shocked beyond words, shocked beyond imagination. Her mouth was left open like a goldfish in distress. Recovering quickly, she remembered what had happened during their school years.

"Hello Cedric," she said briskly, extending her right hand, keeping a taut smile stretched across her now, very, very prim face despite her roiling feelings in her.

"Hello Christine," he also said, his voice expressionless, feeling slightly excited, "How are-"

Even before he could finish his sentence, someone came up from behind of Christine and gave her a hug around her shoulders. It was a guy. Christine smiled and placed a hand on the man's arm, pulling out of his hug. To Cedric, he looked extremely familiar… Too familiar…

"Mr Diggory," she said addressing Cedric's father, "and, well, Mr Diggory," she added, nodding towards Cedric, "This," she said, turning and giving the man a charming smile, "Is my boyfriend-"

"And soon to be fiancée-" Roger cut in, nodding his head.

-Roger,"

The smile on Cedric's face was immediately pulled downwards. It couldn't be…

He looked at the beaming couple, appalled at the fact that the girl he loved now belonged to another man… More precisely, the man he never liked…

He noticed the couple's every gesture. From the time the proceeded to the dining area to the time where they sat. Roger was obviously in true love with her, smitten by her every comment or gesture.

Food was brought out by a maid and Christine brought out her carrots which were steaming on a plate. Honestly, they smelt like over-salted fish. Roger sat himself opposite Christine while Mr Diggory sat on her left next to her father. Cedric sat himself opposite Christine's father, about two seats away from Christine.

"Let us bow our head and give thanks to the Lord…" Christine's father said, "Dear Heavenly Father…"

"Psst, Christine!" Roger whispered a few seconds into the very long prayer.

Christine didn't answer.

Roger took a carrot from the table and threw it at her head.

"Oww! You ass," she whispered, taking another carrot and flinging it at his head. It missed.

Instead, it landed in the ancient, prized, metal bowl behind Roger which gave out a resonant "thud" kind of sound.

Apparently, the two older men (Christine's dad and Mr Diggory) didn't notice the extremely childish exchange, but Cedric did.

Was it jealousy which overwhelmed Cedric?

Was it the love evoked from the inner depths of his heart?

Or was it the hatred he felt for Christine, her not choosing him over Roger?

By the time the prayer ended, Roger and Christine had stopped flinging carrots around the table.

"So… Carrots!"

**BORDER.**

He watched as Roger fiddled and twirled Christine's hair around his finger on the sofa in the living area, just like _he _did to _her _when they were courting during school days. He clenched his jaw tightly. He didn't pay attention at all to what Mr Lin was saying to him. He was just too distracted.

He found it odd for a loving couple when the girl did not really show her love for the man. He watched them closely, like a hawk. They talked and laughed about the things either one said, yet after a while of twirling her hair, she would slap his hand away. Sometimes while he talked to her she would gaze out the window, not paying attention to what he said. Despite all this, she still allowed him to hug or kiss her. This brought a twang of jealousy in Cedric. _He _kissed her in that way before, _she _laughed at his jokes before.

He saw Roger slip something onto Christine's finger and kiss her on the lip, momentarily paralyzing her.

He then saw Roger get up from the sofa.

"Mr Lin, Mr Diggory," Roger said, nodding towards the two older men, "I have to make a move, my nieces and nephews are expecting me at my parent's place,"

"Ahh, your siblings married already? How old are they," Mr Diggory said.

" Thirty two, thirty seven and the other twenty nine," Roger replied.

"And you?"

"I'm same age as Cedric here," Roger said, grinning at Cedric.

"Then its time for you to get settled with some of your children your own! When are the wedding bells going to ring ehh? How many children?"

"Now now Amos…" Christine's father said, laughing nervously, "I don't want my Christy rushing into marriages as much as I think Roger a fine young man,"

"Well, I have to go now, good night and it was pleasant meeting you Mr Diggory," Roger said, smiling before walking towards the door.

"I'll… Go get some water," Cedric said hesitatingly as he stood up from the table the minute he saw Christine enter the kitchen.

He walked quickly. Although his mind told him it wasn't a very good idea, his heart told him to follow whatever he thought should be done.

To clear the air. 

He entered, seeing Christine putting the dishes away with her wand.

"Oh err, didn't see you coming," she said nervously as she wiped her hands against her jeans.

"You don't love him," he said in a low voice.

"What- What do you mean by that?" she asked distractedly, as if trying to avoid the conversation.

"You don't love him, and you and I _know _it! Admit it Christine, you _don't,"_

"I _do _love him, and you have absolutely _no _right to say that!" she remarked, offended.

On seeing his shocked expression at what she said, she said smugly, "Go home to Cho Chang," before walking out of the kitchen.

BORDER 

Author's Note: sorry for the long long long loooong wait darlings. I had a writers block. IT WAS MY BIRTHDAY YESTERDAY… ahhh I feel so old (: oh well, hope you enjoyed this chapter.


	3. And Here We Are

_I do hope I'm not slaughtering, or worse, butcheringCedric's character (:_

_Chapter 3:_

_**3 years later…**_

Christine sifted through her drawer, clearing out old junk and letters that needed to be filed and placed away.

"All this mess…" she said, sorting out letters and documents into two piles.

She suddenly found a stack of old photos which were taken during her school days.

There were many of the triplets and her, grinning away like maniacs, one of them all slopped in mud. She grinned as she looked through them, reminiscing the good old days. She flipped and found herself staring at her younger self whose arm was draped around Cedric, smiling as if she were the luckiest girl in the universe.

Her grin faltered as the photographic Cedric planted a large kiss on her face and grinned at the person taking the picture. She remembered that that was the day he promised her he would love her all his life.

"That was a long time ago…" she said, before placing the photos in her keep-safe box.

Sifting through more letters and documents, she found a cream-coloured envelope which had a flowery border. She needn't flip it open as the envelope was already torn rather savagely at the top.

She pulled out a card, and caught sight of Cedric and Cho Chang in their wedding attire - Cedric in a Tuxedo, Cho Chang in a gorgeous bridal dress. Both seemed to be enjoying themselves thoroughly. A pang shot through Christine as if an old scar had reopened. She crumpled it and threw it into the trash bin.

Well this is fun, she thought sarcastically, hmmm, what have we got here?

_Old records… Old **test assignments! **Hmmm… four upon ten. Not too good… Errr… Expired gum drops… Expired milk! Expired pumpkin pastilles… Expired Cauldron cakes… Some old post cards from Lisa the muggle pen pal… wonder what happened to her. Whatever. Hmmm… _She thought as she sifted through lots of old stuff. _Cedric… _she thought as she found another picture of him… _Cedric… Cedric…Cedric and me… Cedric and the triplets… Cedric and Roger… Boy, stupid git looked so grumpy…What the hell… So many pictures of the git…_

She looked at the first picture she found of him and her, and then looking at the wedding invitation in the bin. Tears pricked her eyes. _Was this what she really wanted? Or was it her pride which had stopped her from getting what she really wanted…_

She lunged for the picture on the table, grabbing it and ripping it clean down the middle before tossing it under her bed.

"CHRISTINE YOU'RE LATE FOR WORK! AND FOR HEAVENS SAKE PUT ON SOMETHING MORE DECENT, ITS YOUR FIRST DAY AT THE MINISTRY!" her father shouted from the hallway.

She crushed a few more letters from Cedric and aiming them into the bin before she "put on something more decent for her first day at work".

It wasn't even as if she had _wanted _the job. She chose annoying kids who screamed and ran around her in circles over having to sit at a desk and go through documents over and over again, growing obese during that process.

She wore a pair of jeans and a shirt before draping a black robe on (for decency).

She went downstairs extremely slowly, trying to procrastinate.

He was busy buttoning on his robe when he caught sight of her on the marble stairway.

"Oh for goodness sake, _must _you wear jeans?" he asked, "Grab hold of my hand. I'll apparate there,"

"Dad, I can jolly well apparate there myself!" she said.

"Yes, but I don't want you apparating into the Gobi Desert or something. It _is _your first day at work,"

"Will Roger be there?" she asked.

"Nope, he won't. He's Mr. Wesley's right hand man at some department handling Muggle Artifacts."

"Oh…"

"Are you ready? 1…2…3"

She found herself standing in the middle of a fountain with wizards, goblins and centaurs spewing water from their mouths the next minute.

"Oh so much for apparating into the Gobi Desert dad, ha- ha," she said sarcastically, "And how do you suppose we get over? Swim?"

"And swim we shall!" he said, sounding like some sort of general at battle.

"Wait, I was only joking-ARGH" she said before her father pulled her into the water.

No one really noticed. After all, this sort of thing happens at least once or twice a day.

He quickly dried himself while Christine was still busy trying to grab part of her robe out of the water.

"We're late!" he exclaimed as he pulled his sopping wet daughter along.

"Wait! What about ME, being drenched?" she asked, hurrying to catch up, "I… I look like a wet chicken!" she said in reference to a Chinese phrase.

"Just dry yourself later,"

"What am I doing again?"

"Working as one of the junior heads in the Department of Education," he said as he pulled her into a lift.

"And why am I starting at such a high post….?"

"Because you have connections with rather reasonable grades…" he said rather quietly.

She raised an eyebrow as pieces of paper airplanes fluttered by her ear, drying part of her hair.

It was too crowded to dry herself. She could barely life a finger.

They sprinted out again, weaving in and out of offices and cubicles before coming to a stop.

"Right... I have already spoken to your Department head, Mrs. Erse, yesterday. This is where you will work," he said, rapping on the wooden door in front of them, "Someone is inside there to help you with whatever stuff. He's your colleague, and not your servant," he said warningly.

"And you have to rush?" she said.

"INDEED!" he said before bustling off again.

Sniggering to herself, she turned to face an opened door only to find herself staring into a face she never expected (nor wanted) to meet…

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AUTHORS NOTE: Hey everyone... I am really sorry for not updating in months! Its a simple obstruction called WRITERS BLOCK! Sorry for the short chapter, will not update till next week (or earlier), Chapter 4 will be up sooner than expected now that I have a new burst of INSPIRATION... 


	4. Silent Tears

_Chapter 4:_

She gaped. And gaped. And gaped.

Just that morning she was ripping his picture into shreds.

"I- You- My dad-" she stuttered, pointing in the direction of the door, "It- Me- This- New job- I-"

He gaped back.

"You- New? But- This- Him- Mrs Erse- My dad-"

She stopped and stared at him unbelievably before pushing past him and sitting in her new desk. She looked at his neat desk decorated with pictures. There were a few of the triplets, his old mates from school, and family members. There was one of _her _framed in gold taken back in school.

"Uhm…" he hastily reached over and put the picture in his drawer.

Ignoring him, she looked around. There were few pictures of Cho Chang. Boy, had she grown into something more than a swan. And then there was one… There was one of him, Cho Chang, and a young boy around the age of 2…

A mallet hit her as reality brought her back to Earth. She placed hand over her mouth after seeing that picture.

"Christine…"

She looked at him and gave him the best smile she could manage with trembling lips.

"Congratulations! You… You had a baby with Cho!" she said with a false tone of cheerfulness.

"I…"

"Why didn't you tell me?" she said, getting up and walking over to him, seizing his hand and pumping it enthusiastically.

"I…"

"After all these years! I thought you would have!" she said in a too-bright voice, still shaking his hand.

"I…"

"I mean… You would have at least _bothered,_ right?" she said, shaking it faster and faster, getting more vigorous.

Her eyes were slightly red now, but her smile was intact, beaming away like there wasn't a tomorrow.

"Christine!" he said loudly, making her stop shaking his hand.

"Yes?" she replied softly.

A knock came on the door as their secretary entered.

"Err… Mr Diggory? You are needed in the conference room. _Urgently_. Arse is fuming," she said.

"Oh erm, Christine, this is Daphne,"

"Arse…?" Christine said, confused.

"I told you not to call her that already!" Cedric said, grinning.

"We all call Mrs Erse that. I mean, we would have been nicer with the name if she were nicer to us," Daphne said, "And call me Daph or Daphy," she said, smiling.

"Diggory? Will you hurry?" Dahpne said, gesturing towards the conference.

"I'll… See you later," Cedric said, before awkwardly walking out of the door.

Christine fell hopelessly back into her chair after the door was closed.

He's with _a kid._

What was this she was feeling? She had Roger, she didn't need _him._

_Maybe its one of those feelings a girl gets when she breaks up with her boy friend… Like he's her property… _she thought, _yet, I broke up with him ages ago!_

Whatever, Christine.

She leaned back in her chair and stared at the white ceiling before looking out of the enchanted windows. It was raining and cold air was blown into the room.

She rubbed her eyes, forgetting that she was still soaked. It was like as if life had turned around and slapped her hard on her face.

**BORDER.**

Both had worked quietly without speaking a word to each other except for muttering and grunting.

One day, he caught her eyeing the picture of his son. Somehow, he looked somewhat foreign…

Cedric gave a small laughed and tapped his pencil on the photograph, saying, "My son, Jonathan,"

She nodded and gave a taut smile before looking back at the whole load of documents she had to approve of.

"So… Are you married to Roger already?"

She snorted derisively and said, "Married? I'm only engaged," she said, showing him the ring on her finger.

His body went cold.

"Oh… Oh… So when- When will the wedding bells ring?"

She shrugged as she fingered the ring with a sorrowful smile on her lip, "They say dreams come true… I hope this one will never will,"

_What did she mean?_

"Whatever. Are you done with those-" Christine said before being interrupted.

A knock came.

"Come in," Cedric said.

The door opened, revealing a beautiful woman with a young boy in her arms.

"Cho…?"

"Cho!" Christine said, startled.

"Christine?" Cho said, smile faltering.

"Cho! You've… Changed so much!" Christine said.

As much as she hated to admit it, Cho Chang _was _beautiful and managed to remain slim after delivery.

Cho smiled sweetly as she introduced Jonathan who was sucking on his thumb.

Christine winced. One thing she hated most was kids chomping on their thumbs.

"Why aren't you a cute little thing?" Christine said, reaching forward and pinching his plump cheek.

Cedric winced.

I hate children… 

That exact sentence she said to him six years ago echoed in his head. He realized how much of an effort she was making to be nice as he watched her chat with Cho Chang about Jonathan's idiosyncrasies and his sleeping habits.

"What are you doing here?" Cedric said, hastily adding the word, "Honey," when Cho glared at him.

"Oh I erm…" Cho said, nervously looking at Chrstine, "Came here to give you a surprise. Surprise!" she added feebly.

"And err…" Cho said, looking at Christine, "I came here to tell you that I am err… I am two months pregnant,"

"What!" Cedric and Christine said in sync.

"But Cho, you and I haven't… We haven't.. In months and-"

She raised her eyebrows.

"You're second!" Chrstine said.

"Well, not really. You see, Jonathan is ado-"

"-Is our first and we will always love him as much as the second. Won't we Jonathan?" Cho said, cutting in and at Jonathan.


	5. What We'll Never Ever Have

Authors Note: I'M SO SORRY FOR THE LONG LONG LONG LONG LONG LONG LONG WAIT! I PROMISE I'LL UPDATE SOON! Remember to review so that my inspiration will be spurred faster! I want at least 10 reviews on this chapter, to all those people who put me on alert and favourites!

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_Chapter 5:_

Christine settled at her desk the next week and looked at her immense pile of work. After a few hours, half of it was still left. Her tired eyes traveled to Cedric who's back was casually leaned on his chair as he marked and signed pieces of parchment. Why was his work so easy? Just, mark sign, mark sign, done! She had to read through the entire proposal on some (but soon to be hopeless) program a crappy wizarding school wanted to start, write a feedback, give comments, remark, put a 'sincerely' at the end of the report when she really wanted to put a 'I hate you asshole don't ever write such a stupid proposal ever again' and signing it.

If the report was really bad (and she in a foul mood), she would stamp a large, ugly, REJECT sign and thrown it into another tray.

She plucked her spectacles from her eyes and leaned her tired head into her hand, looking at the wind up clock hung on the wall. It had been four hours since she started. Looking back at her work, her head still in the palm of her right hand, she slammed her left hand on her table, swearing and cursing under her breath.

Cedric looked up from his work and saw her distressed appearance- muttering under her breath, tired eyes, messy hair, the typical look of a tired office worker. Since Cho Chang's departure from the office the previous day, she did not utter a single word to him except hostile grunts when he talked to her.

"Tired already? It's only your second week," he said, looking at her only to be replied with a spiteful glare.

"Easy for you to say," she finally said, removing her hand and starting back on track, "All you do is mark, sign, approve, mark, sign, approve,"

He saw the ring on her right hand. The engagement ring. A twang in his heart brought up an old wound, peeling away the scab to his old scar. She caught him looking and put her hand under the table so he would stop.

"Come in," she said briskly as someone knocked on the door.

A handsome young man entered.

"Christine!" he said brightly, before turning to Cedric and nodding, saying, "Mister Diggory,"

Cedric nodded back, saying, "Mister Davies," and carrying on with his work.

"Roger?" she asked, startled, "Isn't the department for Muggle artifacts on the opposite side of the entire ministry premise?"

"I'm sorry I didn't visit you earlier," he said, "But it's not like you told me you already started working here. It was after I took a trip to the Montessori that Hannah told me you resigned and started here,"

"Yes, well now you know," she snapped, her nerve of patience snapping immediately, annoyed at his comment.

"Chris, are you alright?" Roger asked, placing a hand on her hip.

"This is my second week of work only, I'm catching an average of four hours of sleep everyday, I always have left over work to do, my eyesight is rotting away from looking at too many crapped up proposals, and I haven't even had the time to complain to my father! Do you THINK I'm okay?" she said all in one breath.

"Where's your ring?" he suddenly asked.

"What ring?" she said coldly, as she sat down.

"Your engagement ring," he snapped back in an equally cold voice.

"Where's yours?" she shot back.

"You're engagement ring, Christine, I want to see it,"

"I was wearing it just now, I swear," she said sheepishly, taking it from her pocket and putting it back on.

Having a bad feel it had something to do with Mister Diggory sitting oh-so-innocently there who was smirking behind his parchment, Roger shot him a steely glare.

"Do you mind giving us a second?" Roger said coldly to Cedric.

"Oh no," Cedric said with a very fake and bright smile, "I wasn't even listening. Look, I have a lot of work to do here, so if it helps, I'll put on a charm and.. if you are still insecure I'll leave,"

"Hey Diggory," Roger said, assuming his college day attitude towards Cedric, "You're married, aren't you? With a kid, right?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Then I'd advice you to not do whatever you want to do," he said in a threatening voice.

"Hahahaha...that's very funny," she laughed feebly, before saying seriously, "Now go away Roger,"

"What are you accusing me of, Davies?" Cedric asked, ignoring her and standing up.

"I'm just telling you not to touch what's not yours!"

"OI!" Christine said in a tired but loud voice, "Enough," she snapped, "Both of you. You sound like college freaks. Roger, get out, I'll talk to you after work. Cedric, get out too,"

"But Chris… this is my office…" he said ( in Christine's opinion ), in a whiny voice.

Roger just stared, shocked.

"Look," she said, hastily adding, "Dear," before saying, "I'm just really stressed, and I'm sorry I took my ring off. I'll talk to you after work," she said, turning him towards the door and pushing him out.

Cedric sniggered as both of them resumed their work. He caught her looking at him.

"What?" he asked.

"What.. really happened to us?" she asked sadly with a hint of regret after a moment of awkward silence.

"I… I really don't know," he replied, returning her look.

So they stayed there for a precious few seconds, staring into each others eyes. It was like what they both wanted was just in front of each of them, but they reluctantly and quietly knew that they now could never reach out and just take what they wanted.

"Mister Diggory, you're meeting starts in five minutes. You are needed in the conference room," their secretary said upon knocking and entering.

Cedric sighed as the eye contact was broken, standing up. Christine withdrew her gaze to the pieces of parchment in front of her, picking up her quill and dipping it into an inkpot, not bothering to bid him adieu. He paused amidst walking out of the door, glancing back and giving her a bewildered look before walking out.

Sensing his absence, she set her quill down and lowered her head to the table. What was she thinking!

"He's bloody married, Christine, married with a _child _!" she said to herself in a muffled voice as her head was still on the table, "A freaking child with a beautiful _wife_!" she cruelly reminded herself, "Why? Why? Why? Why?" she asked herself, with each 'why' she banged her head on the table, so loudly that she didn't hear the door opening.

"Why…why…why…why…" she banged.

"Err… Christine…?"

"Why…why…why…why…?Why…Why…Why…WHY…WHY…WHY??WHY?? WHY??? WHY?!?!?! **WHY?!?!?!?!!?!?!?** WHY?!?! WH- Oh. What are you doing back here, Cedric?" she asked, trying to sound calm and collected although a slight bruise was starting to form on her forehead.

"I uhh… came back for my documents," he said as he moved towards his table and picked up a few pieces of parchment.

"Oh," she said as if she didn't bother, carrying on with her work.

He walked out again, her burying her head into her hands again.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he said, stepping back in the minute he stepped out, causing her to snap her head up.

"Yes, I am," she said quietly.

"Alright then…" he said, unconvinced before walking out.

Walking swiftly back to the conference room, he thought to himself, pondering the situation and possibilities, although finding none.

_She's engaged, Cedric, and you are married with a kid to look after. You, are, **married**, with a **kid!!** It's not worth losing all this over a relationship in college!_

Back in the office, Christine pulled her hair as she put her head (again) on her table. After work, she still had to face a very, very pissed off fiancée.

* * *

AN: Nice? Horrible? Dreadful? Put it in a review! 


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